FIRE & SPICE

FIRE & SPICE is a competition barbecue team with 26 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2021. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 17 at the Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park (2015), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #2166 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,166

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1532

peak 1621 · rated over 26 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Jun 25, 2021 · 8.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#187

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

38% of 26 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 43%

overall standings

Best overall

669.6576 / 720

Master · Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park

Perfect 180s

Current form

526.41 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 608.75 (-82.34)

Walk rate

62%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.7488

Chicken · Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park

Consistency

±86.94

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.13 · weakest Brisket (158.02)

Road miles

3,102

across 26 mapped stops · furthest 1,057 mi

Schedule strength

33%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1544)

Purse competed for

$18K

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

608.75 / 720

26 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

Happy hunting ground

Top 15% average finish here

Keystone Classic Barbeque is their spot: an average finish in the top 15% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 4th
average top 15%

They almost always walk

62% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 16 of 26 contests

A top-10 category call in 62% of their 26 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

669.6576 career-best overall

93.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 669.6576 at Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park — 93.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 27, 2015

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

LO' -N- SLO' BBQ has finished one call ahead of FIRE & SPICE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 18%.

9 contests
6 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 18%

The weak link

−6.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.11 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 38% of the time against 42%.

Brisket avg 158.02
Chicken avg 164.13
10 calls in 26 entries

A strong matchup

7–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Fire Ants BBQ in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

Show 6 more storylines

The comeback

2.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.7 years, then back at The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship (Jun 25, 2021).

last seen Oct 12, 2018
back Jun 25, 2021

Chicken nemesis

9 of 14 shared chicken entries lost

LO' -N- SLO' BBQ ahead 64% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LO' -N- SLO' BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 14 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Badlands BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Boom or bust

±12.08% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±12.08% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 84.5% of a perfect score
best 93.0%

A May team

Top 21% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 21% across 3 contests, versus top 43% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 43% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,102 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,102 miles across 26 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,057 miles to Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ.

26 mapped stops
furthest 1,057 mi

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021 ↗	Master	#1236 (60 pts)	#1286 (60 pts)	—	#1262 (60 pts)	#1245 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1206 (200 pts)	#1319 (180 pts)	#1614 (120 pts)	#1286 (195 pts)	#1139 (245 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1924 (112 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#1737 (132 pts)	#1974 (112 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#536 (714 pts)	#569 (685 pts)	#569 (675 pts)	#836 (440 pts)	#626 (590 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#187 (1,449 pts)	#265 (1,064 pts)	#227 (1,229 pts)	#247 (1,124 pts)	#243 (1,179 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to FIRE & SPICE, each with one reason worth a look.

78 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

Prime BBQ

#2,182 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1621

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to FIRE & SPICE)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team FIRE & SPICE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 33 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

B' FOR CHICKEN

#2,163 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1538

3–2 in 5 shared contests (60% to FIRE & SPICE)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 3 years before FIRE & SPICE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

FIRECRAFT

#2,180 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1533

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to FIRE & SPICE)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Apr 8, 2016

⚔ Head-to-head

LONGBONE BBQ

#2,160 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1544

Careers of much the same size, 27 contests to 26, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Pop's Smoke on the Hill

#2,158 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1532

24 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 29% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Apr 17, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Pork Bombin BBQ

#2,156 of the rated field

1532 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1536

They turned up 10 years after FIRE & SPICE did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LO' -N- SLO' BBQ	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
HAWG NATION BBQ	12	7	5	58%	⚔ compare
Badlands BBQ	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
PIGHEADED BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
WILBUR'S REVENGE	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
CHRISTMAS CITY BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN GNOME BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
4:20 Q	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
HERDING SMOKE	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
TASTY LICKS BBQ SUPPLY	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
Fire Ants BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
WINDY ACRES BBQ	7	7	0	100%	⚔ compare
WILLY'S Q SHACK	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
Smokestack Redemption	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	24	10	2	173.7488	149.1428	164.13	top 38%
Pork Ribs	23	6	3	170.8572	137.0400	158.79	top 46%
Pork	26	5	3	169.6684	136.0228	158.76	top 50%
Brisket	26	10	1	169.7256	137.0744	158.02	top 44%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 12%
Medium (20–39)	9	top 42%
Large (40+)	16	top 46%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
PA	14	top 27%
KS	5	top 97%
MO	2	top 72%
VA	2	top 30%
NY	1	top 11%
CT	1	top 33%
MD	1	top 12%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
New Holland Summer Fest	3	10	top 42%	Aug 28, 2015
Keystone Classic Barbeque	2	4	top 15%	Oct 3, 2014
Que for the Troops	2	2	top 27%	Jun 6, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 9 contests

Contests a season 3.7 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in PA 14 of 26 contests · 7 states in all

Contests visited 22 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,217 finished ahead 732 times, behind 1,342

Longest layoff 2.7 yrs Oct 12, 2018 → Jun 25, 2021

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20211 milestone

Jun 25 Most recent contest The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship

20181 milestone

Oct 12 25th tracked contest 15th Annual Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest

20161 milestone

Aug 5 Peak power rating (1621) Pit at the Park

20152 milestones

Jun 27 Career-best overall score669.6576 Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park
Jun 27 Career-best single call (Chicken)173.7488 Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park

20141 milestone

May 9 10th tracked contest Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition

20136 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival
May 10 First call Green Lane Fire CO's
May 31 First overall top-10 Que for the Troops
May 31 First overall podium Que for the Troops
May 31 First Reserve Championship Que for the Troops
Aug 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.2396 New Holland Summer Fest

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.5	Que for the Troops	May 31, 2013
+12.6	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Aug 9, 2013
+12.6	Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park	Jun 27, 2015
+12.3	Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival	Apr 19, 2013
+11.4	Keystone Classic Barbeque	Oct 4, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-17.2	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship	Jun 25, 2021
-16.3	Smokin On Big Creek	Mar 23, 2018
-15.5	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 15, 2018
-15.3	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ	Jul 28, 2017
-13.8	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 1, 2017

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2021	1	0	0%	top 99%	66.3%	66.3%
2018	4	0	0%	top 85%	92.1%	74.8%
2017	2	0	0%	top 95%	85.5%	63.6%
2016	1	1	100%	top 17%	93%	93%
2015	2	1	100%	top 30%	93%	90.5%
2014	7	2	71%	top 36%	91.7%	89.2%
2013	9	6	89%	top 18%	92.4%	89.7%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 25, 2021	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle-Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	144 / 145 (477.1656)	136 (149.1428)	—	30 (168.5828)	75 (159.4400)
Oct 12, 2018	15th Annual Cookin on the Kaw BBQ Contest Desoto, KS	68 / 69 (590.6172)	30 (169.7028)	68 (137.0400)	67 (146.8000)	69 (137.0744)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	461 / 467 (453.0740)	273 (164.0228)	—	436 (149.1084)	448 (139.9428)
Jun 1, 2018	Kelley Wilson BBQ Kansas City, MO	21 / 48 (662.7656)	25 (163.4172)	28 (163.4056)	22 (166.2628)	12 (169.6800)
Mar 23, 2018	Smokin On Big Creek Pleasant Hill, MO	39 / 39 (448.4228)	—	37 (146.2516)	36 (151.3712)	35 (150.8000)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	364 / 407 (615.4172)	357 (154.8344)	328 (155.4516)	378 (149.7372)	312 (155.3940)
Jul 28, 2017	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ Iola, KS	27 / 27 (300.4684)	—	—	21 (155.9656)	26 (144.5028)
Aug 5, 2016	Pit at the Park Macungie, PA	4 / 23 (669.6456)	3 (171.9884)	11 (161.6916)	5 (169.1428)	7 (166.8228)
Aug 28, 2015	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	34 / 70 (633.5884)	8 (171.4056)	49 (151.3828)	56 (151.9428)	29 (158.8572)
Jun 27, 2015	Ribs & Rides BBQ Festival at Dorney Park Allentown, PA	2 / 17 (669.6576)	2 (173.7488)	8 (164.0004)	2 (169.6684)	7 (162.2400)
Oct 3, 2014	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	12 / 53 (658.8572)	17 (166.2744)	16 (164)	13 (166.8800)	19 (161.7028)
Sep 26, 2014	Lehigh Valley QueFest Allentown, PA	7 / 32 (653.6340)	4 (172.5600)	13 (158.8228)	23 (155.9656)	10 (166.2856)
Sep 5, 2014	6th Annual Southern York County BBQ Cook-off York, PA	5 / 39 (660.4568)	8 (170.8228)	21 (159.9656)	13 (164.5484)	6 (165.1200)
Aug 22, 2014	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	45 / 70 (618.1480)	6 (170.8684)	61 (146.2400)	57 (149.6684)	42 (151.3712)
Aug 15, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Harrisburg, PA	12 / 28 (647.9656)	21 (157.0856)	7 (165.1084)	13 (160.5944)	9 (165.1772)
Jun 6, 2014	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	32 / 65 (623.8852)	49 (151.9312)	35 (154.2744)	18 (162.2740)	29 (155.4056)
May 9, 2014	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition Green Lane, PA	21 / 54 (630.8916)	12 (163.4172)	3 (168.0344)	51 (136.0228)	8 (163.4172)
Oct 18, 2013	Autumnfest Woodstock, VA	9 / 40 (641.1200)	8 (167.3828)	11 (162.8800)	19 (161.1772)	25 (149.6800)
Oct 4, 2013	Keystone Classic Barbeque Harrisburg, PA	4 / 55 (665.6112)	11 (166.8344)	10 (164.5256)	2 (168.5484)	7 (165.7028)
Sep 6, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Chesapeake, VA	11 / 30 (656.4456)	5 (172.5600)	25 (156.5716)	6 (167.9656)	17 (159.3484)
Aug 23, 2013	New Holland Summer Fest New Holland, PA	10 / 71 (654.2396)	39 (157.6456)	17 (163.9656)	16 (162.9028)	5 (169.7256)
Aug 9, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Medford, NY	3 / 27 (633.6340)	4 (162.8228)	15 (150.2856)	2 (164.5600)	7 (155.9656)
Jul 13, 2013	Pork In The Park BBQ Stamford, CT	7 / 21 (642.8112)	12 (159.9772)	2 (166.2856)	18 (151.4056)	2 (165.1428)
May 31, 2013	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	2 / 46 (644.5710)	16 (158.2856)	3 (170.8572)	15 (159.4284)	12 (155.9998)
May 10, 2013	Green Lane Fire CO's Green Lane, PA	12 / 58 (630.8564)	7 (165.1426)	11 (158.8570)	21 (154.8570)	30 (151.9998)
Apr 19, 2013	Pork in the Park Barbeque Festival Salisbury, MD	13 / 106 (643.4280)	56 (157.1428)	22 (162.2856)	23 (162.2854)	16 (161.7142)

FIRE & SPICE

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

Boom or bust

A May team

The long haul

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)